Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Saint Anne de Moult Church is a Catholic church located in Moult-Chicheboville, Calvados department, Normandy. Dating mainly from the 12th century, it is representative of the Romanesque architecture of the region, notably by its choir, which constitutes the oldest and most remarkable part of the building. This choir, higher than the current nave, was listed as historic monuments on October 4, 1932, highlighting its heritage importance.

According to the observations of Arcisse de Caumont in 1850, the choir has marked Romanesque features, such as full-cindered windows now blocked and exterior arches. Some of these arcatures, located on the south wall, adopt ogival forms, a choice that Caumont attributes to spatial constraints, including the presence of a door. The nave, on the other hand, was rebuilt later and is considered less interesting in architectural terms.

The building illustrates the transformations experienced by rural churches over the centuries, where elements of medieval origin coexist with later additions or modifications. The choir, with its Romanesque details, offers a precious testimony of construction techniques and aesthetic choices of the twelfth century in Lower Normandy. The sacristy, added later, partially masks some original windows, reflecting the evolution of liturgical and community needs.

Today, Sainte-Anne Church remains an active place of worship while being a protected heritage, open to visit. Its location in the heart of Moult-Chicheboville makes it a historical and cultural landmark for the commune and its surroundings. The available sources, including the works of Arcisse de Caumont and the archives of the Historical Monuments, allow to trace its history and architecture, although some periods of its construction or transformations remain poorly documented.

External links